CYP Now - Editorial: Force the candidates to consider children

Ask people whether they think there will still be schools in 10 years' time and the answer in most cases will be an unequivocal yes. Ask the same question about children's centres, however, or even about state-subsidised nursery education, and you will not see nearly the same level of confidence.

For all the gains that have been made in securing political commitment to children and services for children and their families, and for all the attention that children's policy is getting in the 2005 General Election, this commitment is still fragile. Services on the ground are still vulnerable to changes of government or even political fashion.

Security of funding will only come about when politicians and voters alike (and not just the voters who have children) see high-quality childcare, nursery education, preventative services and early intervention when there is the possibility of problems, as having as much value to the nation as primary or secondary education.

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